“The contract for the Russian House in Berlin will be terminated,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated during a joint press conference with Interior Minister Dobrindt held on September 1, 2026. The decision is part of the measures adopted by the federal government in response to the attempted attack at the Leipzig airport. The German government has held Russia responsible for the “hybrid attack in Leipzig.” According to a statement released by the government, “with the attempted attack in Leipzig, the Russian leadership deliberately chose to further damage our already strained bilateral relations.”
Germany, the statement continues, intends to maintain its security stance and adopt new measures against Russia. In addition to terminating the agreement regarding the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin, the German federal government announced further measures, adopted in consultation with the Federal Chancellor. Among the planned measures is the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Bonn, scheduled for September 18. Berlin has also announced stricter entry controls for Russian citizens and the creation of new lists of individuals from Russia residing in the European Union, in connection with hybrid attacks. The measure regarding the Russian House is therefore part of a broader strategy to respond to activities that the German government considers a threat to national security.
The Russisches Haus, or Russian House of Science and Culture, is located at 176–179 Friedrichstraße, in the heart of Berlin. The building has long been at the center of a heated political debate, which recently returned to the spotlight following allegations by French authorities that the facility is linked to the activities of Russian intelligence services. These allegations have fueled calls in Germany for its closure.
The Russian House is managed by Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian state agency responsible for cultural cooperation, which reports to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. Since 2022, the organization has been subject to European Union sanctions, imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The building on Friedrichstraße has housed the Russian House since 1984. During the era of the German Democratic Republic and the Soviet Union, the facility was the largest Soviet cultural institute abroad.
The use of the Berlin property is governed by an agreement signed in 2013 between the German and Russian governments regarding the premises of the Russian House in Berlin and the Goethe-Institut in Moscow. The agreement has a term of 99 years and stipulates, among other provisions, that each of the two states shall bear the property tax on the building used by the other country. In addition, there is the intergovernmental agreement on cultural cooperation between Germany and Russia, signed in December 1992 and entered into force in May 1993. The treaty has a term of five years, with automatic renewal for periods of the same duration, unless notice of termination is given at least six months prior to expiration. The agreement stipulates that the two countries shall promote cultural cooperation at all levels, ensure broad access to their respective cultures, and facilitate the establishment and operation of the other party’s cultural institutions. From a legal standpoint, the 2011 agreement governing the activities of cultural institutions could in fact be terminated by Germany effective June 2027.
Moscow responded to the measures announced by the German government. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the closure of the Goethe-Institut’s German cultural centers in Russia. According to reports from the Russian news agencies TASS and Interfax, the Goethe-Institut’s offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg will be closed.
 |
| Germany: Berlin's Russian House to Close; Decision Made Following the Attempted Attack in Leipzig |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
IT
FR
DE
ES
CN
